GAA: Following on from the controversy surrounding Eamonn Barry and the Meath County Board, long-serving chairman Fintan Ginnity lost his seat in sensational fashion at the Meath annual convention in the Ardboyne Hotel in Navan last night.
Ginnity - who was seeking a 21st term as chairman - was beaten by a single vote by Brendan Dempsey. The valid pole of 161 yielded the tightest possible result, with Dempsey earning the support of 81 delegates, against 80 for the former chairman.
Ginnity accepted defeat graciously and thanked the GAA for 20 great years. He stated that he always worked by the rulebook for the good of GAA and Meath football and as the former chairman departed the top table he received a standing ovation from delegates. Dempsey, from the Trim club, was visibly shaking as he took the hot seat.
Meanwhile, although Antrim were relegated from the Liam MacCarthy Cup competition this year they still hope to qualify for the top tier in 2006 by winning the Ulster hurling championship. This provision was included in the motion to Congress that altered the championship structure.
As a result, a preliminary quarter-final has been added to the 2006 GAA fixture list for Saturday, July 8th - when Antrim could play the Munster runners-up. Down have already turned down the option and will play in the Christy Ring Cup.
Antrim have intimated their desire to risk playing the single play-off game and therefore miss out on consistent championship hurling in the Christy Ring group stages.
New Antrim County Board secretary Jim Murray confirmed their intentions. "We'd have no problem with that option. Certainly, we'd be interested as ultimately the Liam MacCarthy Cup is where we want to play our hurling." In theory, Antrim could win the Liam MacCarthy Cup in 2006, but still not qualify for the competition in 2007.
The guaranteed 13-day break introduced last year for the beaten provincial football finalists has been hindered by the GAA adjusting their fixture list due to the Ryder Cup, which takes place in the K Club from September 22nd to 24th.
Both All-Ireland senior finals have been moved forward, but provincial dates are unaltered. If the Leinster or Connacht football finals on July 16th require a replay, the eventual runners-up will only have a week to prepare for round four of the qualifiers
